2.23.2012

blogging school

Recently I have been taking classes from the Alt Channel. I have never taken a class online, let alone an interactive one. They are fantastic, inspiring, and for the most part, incredibly informative. They are so inexpensive, and for the folks that have been emailing me lately asking me how my work has ended up on other blogs and in other places, I think you will find these seminars very helpful.

It's so easy. You can take class in a pile of laundry, looking like this:

Not only was this one super informative, it was super inspiring, and Laurie even took the time to look over my blog later that day when I emailed her about it. I don't see this on the schedule at the moment, but you should check back in if you're interested. It was great.

And, you can take them while your two year old is playing behind you in a

pop-up house and being a VERY GOOD BOY, looking like this:

Understanding Analytics, again with Nicole Balch.

This was not quite as helpful to me personally, as I have yet to install Google Analytics, but lots of people really loved it. I was hoping she'd review how to read Blogger stats, which is what I use at the moment. There were some bloggers tuning in today from the Bay Area that I really admire, so that was neat! I am sure this will be offered again in the future, and I'll probably take it again, after I've installed GA.

I encourage any new bloggers out there to take some of these classes! They are SO worth it!

Adina, I know! I'm trying to keep a level head. Until the day I can just hand the whole thing over to someone I really trust to do a design that suits me, I'm just piecemealing the thing together by myself. All the design stuff was really interesting though. The top left corner? I had no idea that's where I look first! :)

Thank you, Jess! I am thinking about registering for that class. I do all original content, so I'm not sure it will be that helpful to me. Looking forward to checking out your blog later tonight after kids are off to bed!

I actually think you're right—most likely, the content class wouldn't have been hugely useful to you (it was yesterday). I also try to focus on creating original content (a lot of creating my own collages, personal photography, things about life here in Columbus, etc.) but since I'm still new it's a great way to remind myself to balance it all.

I'm excited for all the March classes that are posted! I'll have to pick some more.

Did you love it, though? It's fun to take a class about something....fun! I am going to go see what the March calendar looks like myself. If I do ever install Google Analytics, I'll definitely need to take that class again!

Hi, a. eye! You are welcome. Your content is intense and real and I bet there's a huge audience for it, you just have to find a way to deliver it to them! That "Growing A Readership" course would be a good one for you, I bet.

Thank you, Ileana. I didn't really even mention it, but you are right, it's a great way to connect with other bloggers! It was interesting that a lot of much bigger bloggers were taking the analytics class today. Fun!

I'm not as interested in analytics and stats as I was in the beginning. I know to grow my blog it's helpful but I've turned a bit recently to just enjoying the process of creating a post. I also have a number of other backoffice tasks for the blog from an admin standpoint and I think a part of me doesn't want my time to be overwhelmed by non writing activities since that was the whole point of the blog to begin with.

I totally go back and forth between caring and not! If I've got a post up I really, really love (like so much so that I keep staring at my own blog) I stop caring, because I know my best stuff is up there and I feel satiated. Making the decision to not even think about advertising and sponsorship...you are the same way, right?....really helps you focus on just writing and showing what you really want. It's great.

I do think I lose people right off the bat by not having a more professional looking blog, so I am researching how to change that now, but I am not sure it's something I want to commit to. I love the low-tech feel of the blog as it is. Did you have a web designer for your blog, Tania? And, thanks for the compliment! xoxo

Thanks Tiffanie! This post inspires me (as did your email) to take my first Alt class. You will find it easy to install and use GA. Blogger stats are all I use on a regular basis, but I occasionally look at GA to see how many unique visitors come to my blog and how long they visit. Plus, you can see some funny Google searches.

Hi Justine! I totally owe you an email, I just remembered. I am really excited about GA, but mortified of HTML. I have a friend who might be able to do it for me, otherwise I'll get the woman who installed my social media buttons to do it. I have lost posts and my entire Blogger analytics disappears from time to time, so I am super skittish about doing anything besides simply posting up in here!

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I am an architect, mother, wife and native East Coaster living in San Francisco, and the paper artist behind papel SF. My work can be seen at The Jealous Curator, Colossal, My Modern Metropolis, Apartment Therapy, and the Martha Stewart Living and Williams-Sonoma blogs, among others. Thank you for reading!

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